Schengen and third-country nationals
2007-12-20
Everyone knows that cross-border travel will become easier for
Czechs and other EU citizens as of midnight tonight, when the
CR joins Schengen, but what Schengen means for non-EU
nationals isn't so commonly known. According to an interior-
ministry brochure, only third-country nationals with valid
residence permits in the CR will be able to travel within the
broader Schengen as of tomorrow. Those with Czech visas will
need to swap the Czech visa for a Schengen visa before
satisfying their travel urge. No border controls doesn't mean
freedom on movement for them. Americans and others without a
visa obligation will need to leave the entire Schengen area every
90 days to extend their short-term stays. It will soon become
clear that although Schengen brings obvious benefits to all
Czechs, the benefits to third-country nationals very much
depend on a person's particular circumstances.
[Czech Republic European Union Iceland, Norway, Switzerland,
Liechtenstein residency]
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